cold water T'd into kitchen sink hot water supply

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while checking out a slow leak in a cold water line, i found that there was a 1/2" copper cold water line T'd into a 1/2" hot water line that runs to my kitchen sink. There was also an in line gate valve to control this cold water flow (which no longer works). I am guessing this was a method to reduce the temperature of the hot water in the kitchen sink if it too hot straight from the hot water heater. Is this a common thing to do? I'd never seen it before.

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You sure it's tee'd into the hot? Cause I would imagine every fixture would mix on the cold water side at that point. Doesn't seem right.
Depending on how it's seized (open or closed). It would mix either cold or hot to other fixtures.

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It would still mix on the hot side to other fixtures. Cause, when one fixture is on, it pulls the water from another. And that being tee'd like that. It would pull cold water, into the hot side of other fixtures. Still, doesn't seem right.

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no evidence of that. pipes have no joints. i'm almost glad to hear that this does not seem common. a few years ago, i installed a temp control valve at the water heater output related to a solar thermal project . Since I already have that temp control on my hot water, my plan is to totally cut out this cold to hot loop and cap it off.